


Donna McGrier

by Sumomothegoddess



Category: Original Work
Genre: 1960s, 60s song references, Angst, Drama, Drug Use, F/M, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Murder, Mystery, Narcolepsy, Narcotics, Police, donna mcgrier, killer, oldies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 04:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8086936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumomothegoddess/pseuds/Sumomothegoddess
Summary: Colleen's ex best friend was killed April 23rd, 1965. The "ex" was there for a reason. Despite the undying hatred she had for her, she knew that there no one else better suited to find her killer than herself. With the help of three friends, she set out to do just that.





	1. Colleen Adams + Donna McGrier

Donna McGrier.

 

Never have I ever met a crueler, disgusting, and bitter human being.

We grew up together here in Emerson, but since it's a small town, I guess you could say that all the kids here grew up together. Donna and I were next door neighbors. When we were five, we were inseparable. In fact, we were so close that when we weren't together, we'd sneak out of each other's houses to see each other. As I look back on those moments now, I want to gag. It wasn't a true friendship, anyway. I didn't realize it back then because I was a recluse child. Most kids steered away from me because word got around that I had narcolepsy. They thought it was contagious, can you blame them? When Donna and I were together, we usually played what she wanted to play. I didn't mind it because I had no idea how to play with others. One time, however, I suggested that we could play with some of our dolls, but she wasn't having it. I remember that day specifically because she actually screamed in my face "Why are you so selfish, Colleen?! Not everything is about you!" After that, I never asked her for anything else.

What permanently severed our friendship was a fight we had after a party in 8th grade, two days after the last day of the 1957-58 school year. Johnny Edwards, one of the most popular boys in our school, threw a party at the local diner that everybody knew as "Mel's". I had a major crush on Johnny and Donna knew that. In fact, while we were getting ready for the party, she helped me dress for the occasion. She picked out a black dress decorated with red polka dots and a pair of my mom's devil red heels. In return, I dressed her in one of my pink slim-fit dresses, which she cut short, and white sandals. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I'd never seen myself look so beautiful before. Donna even said as much. "If Johnny doesn't fall for you in this dress," she told me on way to the party. "Then he must be a blind wingbat!"

I could hear the music before Donna and I stepped into Mel's that night.

Before I opened the door, I could see the place was close to filled with dancing kids. I remember my legs shaking in my heels I was so nervous. Donna wasn't. She pushed me inside when I wouldn't move from in front of the door. The first person I noticed was Johnny. How could I not? I thought he was the most beautiful thing God had ever created. Johnny wore his light brown hair slicked back, his eldest brother's hand-me-down lettermen's jacket and blue jeans, and a smile that Elvis Presley himself would envy.

"Don't stare so much!" Donna told me while I was practically drooling over him. "He's gonna think you're really desperate! Here, dance with me!"

 

Luckily, my nerves steered away when the jukebox started playing one of my favorite songs, "Rockin Robin" by Bobby Day. Donna took my hands and started twisting me about on what little space we had on the dancefloor. Before we both knew it, all eyes were on us. All eyes included Johnny's bright blue ones. He was looking at me. I was over the moon.

The music slowed down some time later. Another favorite of mine, "Was There a Call for Me" by Bobby Darin, played softly on the box. Couples started pairing off until Johnny, Donna, and I were left. Donna winks and whispers into my ear, "I'll talk to him for you!" and I believed she would. We were friends! What reason did I have to worry?

Of course I hadn't counted on her being a conniving pig.

 

I saw her whispering to Johnny, fluttering her long lashes and flipping her blonde ponytail, and he whispered back. Next thing I knew, he was coming over with a little smile on his face. I thought it worked.

"Hi," he says carefully. "Colleen, right?"

Words wouldn't leave my mouth, so I just nodded at him.

"Pretty bitchin' party, right? I wouldn't know. It's my first time throwing one." "Yeah... Pretty bitchin'," I manage to utter.

“Cool, wanna dance-?" "Yes!" I wanted to hit myself for answering to quickly, but Johnny didn't seem to mind. In fact, he thought it was funny. Once he finished laughing, the song changed to a softer jazz song that I didn't recognize. Johnny grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him. I'm pretty sure, by then, my face was redder than the dots on my dress. In that moment, I was happier than ever. I'd felt like Cinderella, dancing with the man of my dreams. He stared into my eyes and I stared into his. We swayed to the music swifter than the wind itself.

Just when I was really starting to enjoy myself, I felt it.

My body suddenly felt as though it was made out of cinderblocks. I didn't have time to warn Johnny because my reality was quickly distorted. Everything went black in less than eight seconds.

 

When I regained consciousness, my body was being stabbed with crumbled and sharp objects. There was no noise, meaning either the party was over or I was far from it. I rose up from where I was lying and nearly gagged at the sight and smell of my surroundings. Immediately, I recognized where I was:

Inside of a dumpster, more specifically, the one behind Mel's diner. Why was I in a dumpster? I'd had another episode, yes I was sure of that, but why didn't Donna take me home? Why didn't Johnny get help?

I got those answers from these two kids in the neighborhood. Their names were Bobby Stephens and Dorothy Andrews and, little did I know, they would soon become the closest friends I'd ever have.

Dorothy said, when I asked about it, that after I passed out, Donna had went on about how my disease was "easy to catch" and how Johnny was "better suited with a normal girl". She had someone take my body and place it outside in the dumpster. Donna and other kids laughed and laughed when they left me there. Johnny had gone home with Donna and they, according to Bobby and some other sources, had gone all the way.

Never had I ever felt so betrayed. Never had I ever felt so angry at a single human being before in my life.

The next time I saw Donna was at her house a week after the party, when I was sure it was safe to show my face around town again. Johnny was there on her couch, huffing and puffing on a cigarette. He averted his eyes away from me and I couldn't blame him for that.

"Donna! What happened that night?" I screeched when we were by ourselves.

Donna shrugged, throwing me a sly smile. "I was taking out the trash for Johnny," she said. "There's no way he would've ever gone for a girl like you! I was more of his type than you'd ever be."

"That wasn't for you to decide!" I shouted back.

"Trust me, Colleen," she leaned in and sneered in my face. "When Johnny and I were making love, he definitely wasn't thinking about girls like you."

After that, I stomped on her bare toe and stormed away. That was the last time I saw Donna as my friend.

When school started up again, we formed our circles. I had Dorothy, Bobby, and James Wiggins, whom I met during detention one day, to keep me company. Donna, on the other hand, had her group: Isabella Tucker, Tiffany Benn, Betty Small, Heather Dunn, and Carolyn Montgomery. Whenever we saw each other, Donna and her clan felt that they could mock and laugh at us.

That saddest part was that she was still with Johnny. I had to watch her make out with my crush in the hallways and during classes and it made me sick to my stomach. Donna knew I wanted him, so I was sure that she was purposely throwing their relationship in my face. Another sad fact is that I was still not over my crush on Johnny. I still loved him, but I knew I couldn't act on those feelings. Donna was the slut, not me. Luckily, I had Dorothy, James, and Bobby to help me ignore her and my feelings. Even while she tried to make my life miserable, I still kept my head held high for them.

 

Which is why when Donna turned up dead, you didn't see me shedding any tears.


	2. April 23rd, 1965

The last time I physically saw Donna was in French class, my last class of the school day. She, Betty, and Keith Marley were shootin' the breeze in the back of the room. Dorothy and I were in the front, attempting to understand the foreign concept Mrs. Malone was trying to convey. We didn't speak at all; I was happy to keep it that way. At the most, she helped Keith throw paper balls at our heads. It took all my strength and more to stop Dorothy from going back there and starting something that we definitely didn't need over our heads. "I'm reaching the limit, Coll," she told me through gritted teeth. "I'm reaching it."

"Reach all you want, Ginger! It's alright!" Donna giggles from behind us. "You've got the 'Luck of the Irish' on your side!"

"For the last time, I'm not-" "Mademoiselle Andrews!" Mrs. Malone snapped. "Unless you want detention, I suggest that you calm yourself and sit back down!"

Dorothy huffed and flipped her red hair back at them.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Malone separated Dorothy and I so we could "better understand our classmates" on a project. Dorothy got paired with Keith and I got Betty. It was lucky that none of us got Donna. That bad luck was passed to the innocent Patsy McGee. I could overhear her, Donna, while I was working with Betty. She was criticizing everything about the poor girl from her dull outfit to her handwriting. It was so painful because she used to do the same thing to me when we were kids.

"Honestly," she drawled. "You should just tell your mom to pull more shifts at the whorehouse. Unless she doesn't get much tips to begin with..."

Patsy's face went red, even more so when the class laughed at Donna's petty jab.

"For shame, Donna!" Betty squeaked in front of me.

Donna winked back at her. "I was just being honest."

 

Class let out before we could finish the project. I purposely slacked off on it. If all I can do to retaliate is drop her grade, then so be it.

Dorothy and I filled in James and Bobby about what happened to Patsy. Like us, they were enraged by it.

"She makes me sick!" James growls. "Does Patsy's mom even work at a whorehouse?"

"No! She works at the diner with Mel and Shelley's mom," Bobby answered.

"What does it matter?!" I ask them. "Donna practically outed her in front of everybody and Malone sat there and did absolutely nothing."

"I really wish you wouldn't have let me stand down like that!" Dorothy complained. "I could’ve taken her!"

"Dora, I'm sorry. You really can't afford to get in any more trouble! What about college?" I nagged at her, shivering a bit. They were right, I did sound motherly at times.

Dorothy scoffed at me. "What about college? I wanna work at the mill when I'm through with high school."

"They won't let you work at the mill, Dora," James said for the fiftieth time. Women weren't allowed in the mills, Mayor Gibbons was very adamant about that.

“I'll find a way in there, trust me."

After school, the guys came over my house. My parents were out at work, so we had the place to ourselves. We sat back in my room and listened to music. Well, Bobby, Dorothy, and I did. James ignored us and studied in a corner by himself. It was just something he did, we didn't bother with it.

Dorothy brought over a record by Donovan. It was a song that everyone was singing to their sweethearts after Valentine's Day called "Catch the Wind". Around that time it was only Bobby that had a valentine, a tenth grader named Nancy. We don't talk about her anymore. We sat around and talked about nothing, like we always did. It was a normal night. Since it was a Friday night, they decided to sleep over. Of course when Mom and Dad got home, they made James and Bobby bail. They said that we'd see them tomorrow at the park.

Dorothy and I stayed up laughing and playing around for most of the night, so we saw the police lights blink when the cops came in front of the house next door. It was Dorothy that noticed them first, around three o'clock. We were pretending to be in a movie when she stopped to stare out my window.

"Whoa," she gasped. "What the hell is going on at the McGrier household?"

When she motions me over, we both saw Emerson's top two detectives walk up to the McGrier's door. This wasn't the first time we saw cops at their door. It was odd that Mr. Grier wasn't cursing and fumbling around them.

"What the hell indeed, Dora," I agreed.

Detectives Aiden Winston and William Caesar knock on the door four times before anyone answers it. They start talking, but we couldn't hear what was being said. So, Dorothy thought it'd be a brilliant idea to open the window, balance herself on the evergreen outside, and climb out. I stared at her like she'd lost her mind. She, surprisingly didn't see anything wrong with the idea. "Come on, Colleen!" she urged. "We've got to see this!"

Peer pressure is a bad thing, I know, but I was really curious about with the police were doing at the neighbor’s house at this hour. Not to mention the fact the air didn't smell like cheap beer, so there's another reason to check it out. I climbed out right behind her with no hesitation where I really should've had hesitation.

We snuck to the side of the house and peered into the McGrier's den window. Luckily, it was wide open for us.

Mr. and Mrs. McGrier were settled down onto one of their many red leather seats with Winston and Caesar following close behind. Caesar brought out a notepad and nodded to his partner. Dorothy and I were on the edge of our seats.

"Mrs. McGrier," Winston says softly. "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but we found Donna."

 

Mrs. McGrier sighed in relief. "That's great news! Where is she? She's never going to be allowed out of the house after this, Harry!" she nags to her husband.

Winston shook his head.

Mr. McGrier caught on before his wife did, as did Dorothy and I.

"Mrs. McGrier, we found Donna inside of a dumpster near Mel's," he clarified. "She's dead."

We knew it already, right from when he said that they'd found her, but when he actually said that she was dead... It gave me this tight feeling in my chest. I don't even know what is was either.

Dorothy let out a soft gasp. I guess it hit her, too.

I only wish Mrs. McGrier's reaction was as quiet as ours. She let out a wail so pained that it physically hurt me. She fell to the floor, still wailing, and it _would not stop_. Her hand gripped at Mr. McGrier's and Detective Caesar's sleeves. "Not my baby!" she screeches. "Please, God, anybody but my baby!"

Dorothy and I went inside not long after that. We couldn't take much more of all the screams and grief.

We slid back into my bedroom without a sound, so my parents wouldn't come up and investigate.

"Donna's..." she trailed off, eyes fixated on my carpets.

"Yeah, I know..." my chest tightened even more and I hated it.

In my mind, I wanted to believe that Donna wasn't dead.

I didn't cry over it. Oh no, not at all. Even in death, that bitch wasn't worth my tears.

As the seconds passed, however, the tightening got worse.

Donna was _dead._

From the tone in Winston's voice, I'd guess that someone had killed her.

"Dora, who would-?" before I could even get the question out, Dorothy snapped at me.

"Are you really asking that? This is Donna McGrier we're talking about!" "I know, I'm sorry for asking!"

Everyone knows _why_ someone would want her dead, but who actually had the guts to do it?


	3. April 26th, 1965

 

**April 26th, 1965**

**Emerson, Wyoming**

 

Principal Donald Kingman released the news of Donna's death during the morning announcements. Betty, Isabella, Tiffany, Carolyn, and Heather were all crying uncontrollably in the back of the classroom. Johnny was right beside them, not looking as broken up as I thought he'd be. A few tears slid from his beautiful eyes, but that was all. James and Bobby weren't surprised. Dorothy filled them in when we met them at the park that afternoon.

"Now," Principal Kingman says, voice brittle and raspy. "Let us all have a moment of silence for our precious classmate."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "As if the bitch didn’t deserve it," he grumbled.

Sadly, he wasn't as discreet as he thought he was.

"Hey, Candyass! Shut the hell up, will ya?" Johnny says, eyes sending machetes at my friend. "Pay your fucking respects!"

"And why should I?" he shot back. "Donna wouldn't even bat an eye if I croaked. Fuck, why are we bawling and shit like she was a good person?"

"Bobby..." I stepped in, mostly for Johnny's sake (but if anyone asks I was in it for Bobby).

"No, Colleen! I'm not about to sit here and grieve over the fucking pig that made our lives a living hell!" he seethes, more to Donna's supporters than me. "If you ask me, this was bound to happen!"

Before anyone saw it coming, Johnny tackles Bobby to the ground. The teacher, Mr. Riley, finally decides to step in. "Boys, cut it out," he says half-heartedly. On the inside, I could tell, he was always on our side. He hated Donna almost as much as we did. Even with that said, I believe that he should've put aside his personal opinions and stopped those boys from killing each other.

It took four football jocks to pry Johnny off of Bobby.

As soon as he got away, he immediately started apologizing. I'm sure everyone expected that. Johnny was never a violent guy and, no offense to him, he was kind of a chicken.

"You're a dead man, Johnny!" Bobby growled at him as the jocks pushed Johnny out of the classroom.

"I'm so sorry!" Johnny kept saying. "I did not mean to do that."

 

Time seemed to move slower after that. Other kids were reacting differently to Donna's death. Some didn't believe it was real, some were grieving quite loudly in the hallways, and others rejoiced in the freedom they had. I don't know why, but my feelings were indifferent. My chest was still doing that tightening thing from the previous night and it was getting a bit hard to breathe. Dorothy even asked me if I wanted to go to the nurse at one point. When the school day ended, I came home to my parents talking with the McGrier's. It wasn't that much of a surprise because even though Donna and I stopped being friends a long time ago, the weird bond our parents had never severed. Mrs. McGrier was sobbing on my mom's shoulder and Mr. McGrier was staring blankly ahead, not listening the comforting words my dad was giving him. It was a pretty depressing sight to see.

My mom looked at me and nodded her head towards the stairs. "Go to your room, honey," she says over the wails. "I'm sure you've got a bunch of homework to do."

 

"Colleen!" Mrs. McGrier screeched before I could leave. "Who did this? Who did this to my baby?"

I sighed. This definitely wasn't something I needed to hear, but I'm lucky it wasn't as bad as it was last night. "I don't know, Mrs. McGrier. I'm sorry for your loss."

That only made her cry even more! I escaped before the other one could ask me questions I couldn't answer.

I flung my backpack to the ground in a fit of anger. Anger at all the noises from downstairs, from everyone at school acting the way they are, and mostly at Donna. Damn it, Donna! Why must you cause so much trouble even in death? Damn it, Donna! Damn it!

I've got to find out who did this to her. I'm not sure I can take much more of this.


	4. April 27th, 1965

**April 27th, 1965**

**Emerson, Wyoming**

 

 

"I'm sorry," Dorothy laughs humorlessly. "You want us to help you what?"

 

James and Bobby were giving me the same incredulous expression.

 

We were sitting across from each other at the lunch table the next day. I'd spent all night thinking about how I was going to find Donna's killer, if there was one. If I was going to do this, I was going to need some help. Unfortunately, these three were the only people I could talk with comfortably.

 

"How could you ask us that?" James muttered, picking at the peas on his lunch tray.

 

"What made you think we'd actually agree to this?" Dorothy continued to laugh.

 

"I'm in!" Bobby said, surprising us all.

 

Dorothy arched her eyebrow at him. "What? Are you serious?"

 

He nodded. "Aren't you guys itchin' to know who killed her? Who saved us all from having our last months in high school feel like hell?"

 

That... wasn't the angle I was going for, but Bobby seemed to make a better argument than I did. James and Dorothy looked like they were considering the idea. They would've declined immediately if I told them I was doing for my own sake... To stop that tightening.

 

"But if we did find out who killed her," James sighed in defeat. "Who in their right minds would believe us?"

 

"There's another good point!" Bobby enthuses. "If we find out who did it, and tell the cops everything we know, then they'll have to follow whatever lead they've got! Everything would unravel in a matter of time."

 

I smiled. Bobby was really on board with this.

 

Dorothy groaned. "I better not regret this, Colleen."

 

James agreed with a huff of "This better work."

 

And thus, the W.A.S.A. (Wiggins, Adams, Stephens, and Andrews) Invesgative Team was established.


	5. May 1st, 1965

**May 1st, 1965**

**Emerson, Wyoming**

 

 

The four of us decided to officially start our investigation that weekend at Dorothy's house. We would've done it at mine, but the McGrier's were still hanging around and crying all over the place and that would definitely be a little more than distracting.

Dorothy's mom was ok with all of us coming over, but her dad was not ok with having the boys over. He kept interrogating them, both Bobby and James. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" he screamed in their faces. "Which one of you isn't a virgin?"

Luckily, Dorothy and her mom found a way to calm the man down long enough for me to take Bobby and James to Dorothy's room.

 

"Why does her dad hate us?" James whimpers, slouching onto Dorothy's bed.

"I think he just hates those of us with extra equipment between our legs," Bobby sighs with him.

Dorothy walks into the room, her dad's voice still booming over our heads.

She groans and slams the door shut. "He is impossible!"

I nodded. "I'm so glad my dad isn't like that."

 

Bobby distributes four composition notebooks and walky-talkies amongst us. A set of pens, pencils, and cameras are added with them. We all stared up at him. When he said he would get us supplies, we didn't think he'd get cameras and whatnot!

He noticed how stunned we were and laughed. "My dad's the chief of police, so I know a few things about running an investigation," he explains.

James gasps. "I never knew that!"

"Neither did I," I said. I knew that his dad worked for the police, but I had no idea he was actually the _chief_.

"I did!" Dorothy giggled. "You guys should come over his place for dinner sometime."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Focus, guys. If we're gonna do this, we've got to do this properly! If we get caught, we could go to prison!"

"Prison?" Dorothy scoffed. "For what?"

"Interfering with an ongoing investigation!" Bobby screeched. "That's a serious offense!" James shivered. "If this is illegal I don't wanna do it!" he cried. "I don't wanna go to prison!"

I sighed. "It's worth the risk, to be honest. As long as we find out who killed Donna, I don't care about going to jail."

"You're a good one, Coll," Dorothy chuckles. "There's no way I'm going to jail for Donna McGrier."

Bobby slams his hand down on one of books, silencing us all. "Listen up, guys! We've got to take this seriously. From here on out, we're gonna treat this like a science project or something. We need to gather what we currently know and start from there."

We sat in silence after that little speech. Not only was Bobby a little too enthusiastic about this, but it seems like none of us knew where to begin.

"So," Bobby urged. "What do we know?"

Dorothy raises her hand.

"Yes, Dora?"

She cleared her throat. "We know that Donna McGrier died sometime between 1415 hours and 0300 hours on April 23rd, 1965."  


Bobby rolled his eyes.

 

"If it was at three o'clock," James cut in. "Wouldn't that make her death on April 24th, 1965?"

She scoffed. "Specifics."

"Ok, let's try being realistic here," I say. "If the policed notified her parents at three in the morning, then her death had to have been at least an hour before that."

Bobby arched a brow at me. "What do you mean?"

"It normally takes the police officers about twenty minutes to arrive. Remember the first time I collapsed in front of you guys?" when they nodded, I continued. "It took them just about that long to come get me. It also takes half of that time to get to the McGrier's house from Mel's. If you factor in the time it takes for the detectives to identify Donna and find her parent's address, it would come close to an hour."

Both James and Dorothy's jaw dropped, but Bobby applauded me.

"How did you know all that?" Dorothy asked.

"That actually sounds about right!" James exclaimed.

I smiled proudly. Being friends with Donna had taught me a few things. "Whenever her dad would get arrested for being loaded and obnoxious, her mom would take us down to the police station to scold him. I guess I picked up on somethings."

"That's definitely more than a few things," Bobby praised. "So, that would mean that Donna died between 2:45pm, because forget about using military time, and 2:00 Am." "Great! We're making progress!" Dorothy cheered.

"All we know is when she died," James told her, completely ruining her good mood. "And it's not even an accurate timeframe to go on."

She frowned at him and crossed her arms. "I don't hear you adding in anything."

I spoke up again, before they started arguing about nothing. "We also know that she was found in that dumpster behind Mel's."

"If you ask me," Dorothy says with a chuckle. "That's karma."

Bobby high-fived her for that one.

"Alright, guys. I've got an idea!" James said. "Why don't we split up and meet up back here in an hour or two? Bobby and I will ask around to see who has seen Donna and you ladies will scope out the crime scene."

"You just don't wanna have to search through trash!" I accused.

Bobby winked at me. "Jimmy's got the right idea!"

"I'm in!" Dorothy said. Though, I'm not surprised that she agreed. The mines she wanted to work in were much worse than a dumpster.

I sighed, wondering just how badly I was going to regret this.   


Bobby eyed down at his watch. "It's two o'clock right now, so we'll meet back here around 4 or so?"

With a nod, and a reluctant "Fine" from me, from the rest of us, we each separated into our teams, taking our supplies with us out the door.

 

Dorothy and I walked to Mel's, which was a good ten minute walk thank God, which was still guarded by the police. Unfortunately, once we got a better look, the dumpster was blocked by red rope and a policeman with a weird beard. Damn! How were we going to do this?

"Alright," Dorothy said, surprisingly ahead of me in the idea department. "Here's the plan. I'll go into Mel's start up a little something and you check out the dumpster."

"How much time will that 'little something' get me?" I asked. Dorothy was quite the dramatic, but she could only keep the act up for a certain amount of time. Her personal best was forty-five minutes.

"I'd say about ten minutes at the most. Good luck, Colleen!"

 

I'd waited for about four minutes before hearing a seriously loud screech come from inside the diner. The Mr. Weird-Beard that was blocking my way to the dumpster suddenly jolted and ran inside.

Within seconds, I was in.

 

Despite the bitter flashbacks that welled up in my mind, I slid under the rope and hopped into the disgusting metal box. Luckily, the officers that came before me cleaned out the trash bags. That didn't block out the horrid stench, however. I tried to block it out while I scanned the tiny area.

There was blood stained on the walls, I took note of that.

A decorative pair of white lace panties were covered in the dumpster's debris and torn hastily. I took note of that.

Donna's body wasn't there, but I still saw its outline on the floor. I took note of that.

Silver hoop earrings, the ones I'd seen Donna wear that day, were discarded on pushed into a corner. I took note of that.

Strange slits were outside of the dumpster, stopping at its opening. I took note of that.

A tiny ring with a dim green jewel rested on the head of Donna's body outline. I most definitely took note of that.

 

I was down to four minutes and I couldn't find anything else. There was this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I was forgetting something. I'd written down everything I'd deemed necessary, but there was absolutely nothing else to take note of. What could I do? Time was slipping through my fingers and I knew Dorothy couldn't stall for much longer. Something in me was screaming for me to do one last scan. I tried to ignore it, but I just couldn't. So, my eyes swept through the area one last time.

When I spotted it, I wanted to cry.

It didn't seem all that important.

Black, red, and blue wristbands tied to together to make one accessory was lying in front of the dumpster.

Despite how puny and insignificant I thought it was, I had to take everything I could into consideration. So, I took note of it.

Two minutes to spare. I used each second to take a photo of everything I'd documented in the notebook.

The wristband's photo was taken just as I heard a voice shout out "Hey! You!"

I didn't waste time to turn around, I ran out of there that second.

Dorothy met me up the street behind the diner. I thought that the officer was chasing me, so I pulled her along with me.

We didn't stop sprinting until we reached her front porch.

"What just happened?" she asked me once she caught her breath.

"I just got our evidence."

 

Bobby and James came back around four-thirty. We all decided to discuss our findings outside. No one was willing to hear Mr. Andrew's raving and whatnot again.

 

It turned out that the boys questioned a total of six people.

"Seriously?" I groaned. "You've had two hours and this is the best you could do?"

"I'm sorry!" James cried. "Those were the only people who were willing to talk to with us! Everybody else ignored us."

"Ignored you," Bobby grumbled.

Dorothy and I took their notebooks and read through the notes they took.

 

**_Betty Small_ **

_Age 17_

_After school whereabouts: Hanging out on the football field with the Donna, Carolyn, Isabella, Tiffany, Heather, and some other football jocks._

_Whereabouts around midnight: At home with Carolyn and Tiffany ("David broke up with Tiffany, so Carol and I decided to comfort her. You know, girl talk and chocolates! Did you know that she was dump for that one freshman slut, Rachel Tate?")_

_Last time she'd seen Donna: "Donna wanted to come help out Tiffany, but she said she had other things to do. That was around four o'clock"_

 

Betty was obviously not a suspect. Though, it surprised Donna and me when she said that David Irwin broke up with Tiffany. He'd been the longest relationship the girl ever had, four months!

"Rachel though?" Dorothy questioned. "I'd go for redheads over that dumb blonde, but she's got one hell of a reputation on her."

I nodded. "Maybe David wasn't looking to go stea-"   


Bobby interrupted us. "Is this really important right now, ladies?!"

"Sorry, Bobby."

 

_**Tiffany Benn** _

_Age 18_

_After school whereabouts: Hanging out on the football field with Donna, Betty, Isabella, Heather, and some other football jocks_

_Whereabouts around midnight: With Betty and Carolyn at Betty's house getting over a bad break-up_

_Last time she'd seen Donna: "Donna said she had some other business to take care of. I don't understand what could be more important than a best friend with a broken heart!"_

 

 

Tiffany wasn't it either. Though, I did feel bad about her not having her best friend at her side at time like that.

"Donna sucks," I simply said.

"I know," Dorothy agreed.

**_Carolyn Montgomery_ **

_Age 18_

_After school whereabouts: Hanging out on the football field with Donna, Tiffany, Betty, Carolyn, Isabella, and other football jocks_

_Whereabouts around midnight: At Betty's house with Betty and Tiffany, helping Tiffany get over a broken heart._

_Last time she'd seen Donna: "I actually called Donna around eight o'clock that night, but her mom picked up the phone. She said Donna had gone out on a date with Johnny, so I didn't bother with it. Last time I interrupted something like that, I was chewed out for a week."_

 

It broke my heart to see Johnny's name with hers. How could he have dated such a disgusting creature?

 

**_Isabella Tucker_ **

_Age 17_

_After school whereabouts: Hanging out on the football field with Donna, Betty, Carolyn, Tiffany, Heather, and some other football jocks._

_Whereabouts around midnight: Pulling a shift at Mel’s at ten o’clock (Mel confirmed at 3:25pm May 1st, 1965) and went home around two o'clock_

_Last time she'd seen Donna: "Donna came to drop me off a couple of smokes around eleven o'clock. She had Johnny, and some other guy with her. They walked out and that was that."_

 

 

Of all the girls in Donna's little cult, Isabella was probably the most mysterious one out of all of them. She never really joined in with rest of the girls would they made fun of someone, Dorothy said she even saw her cheering up one of Donna's victims. Not to mention that she was the only one of six that cared about her grades.

"Isabella is so cool," Dorothy commented as she finished up that entry. "If I had to be one of those prissy wannabes, I'd definitely want to be her."

 

 

**_Heather Dunn_ **

_Age 18_

_After school whereabouts: Hanging out on the football field with Donna, Betty, Isabella, Tiffany, Carolyn, and other football jocks._

_Whereabouts around midnight: Hanging out with Johnny and Donna until eight o'clock, then went to spend the night with boyfriend Todd Franklin_

_Last time she'd seen Donna: "Donna told me to go see Todd after eight because she and Johnny needed some alone time. Definitely didn't want to be the third wheel in that."_

 

"God, Heather is so boring!" Dorothy complained. "I wish she was the killer because she needs something better to do with her life." Bobby smirks at her. "Are you sure you're not bitter because she's with Todd?"

Her face went redder than her hair. "Shut it, Bobby!"

**_Johnny Edwards_ **

_Age 18_

_After school whereabouts: Drinking with his brothers_

_Whereabouts around midnight: Sleeping in his bedroom_

_Last time he'd seen Donna: "We had a fight around 6 o'clock, but I was trashed, so I don't remember what we fought about. That's all there is to it."_

 

Even though it pained me to see Johnny's name on the list, I eased up when I saw that his alibi looked solid. Thank goodness! If only the boys agreed with my thoughts.

"I don't know about Johnny, guys," Bobby said.

"He was a little jumpy when we asked him about Donna. Very defensive, too." James added.   


"Well, who wouldn't be a tad bit defensive if two strangers suddenly came up to them accusing them of killing off a classmate?" I snapped without thinking about it. I know James and Bobby meant well, but ever fiber in my being was begging them to keep Johnny out of this. I strongly wanted to believe that he had absolutely nothing to do with this.

Dorothy put a hand on my shoulder. "Coll, just chill out!" she said. "We've got to follow our guts with this one. If they think that Johnny's acting funny, then we've got to check this out."

"But..." she shook her head when I tried to argue back.

"The sooner we do this, the sooner we can cross him off."

Even though I wanted to believe that, a little part of me couldn’t help but think we’ll find something. That, I forced myself to understand, was the price of investigating this. The truth is never a pretty sight, but it gets uglier when piled on by lies.


	6. May 3rd, 1965

**May 3rd, 1965**

**Emerson, Wyoming**

 

There still wasn't a set date for Donna's funeral, so our school decided to hold a memorial service first thing that morning in the auditorium. Despite the dreadful impact Donna had on a majority of the student body, all of the seats were filled. Those who didn't have a seat sat on the floor. Luckily, Dorothy and I had seats. I wish I could say the same for James and Bobby, who sat at our feet.

 

Principal Kingman stood at center stage under a spotlight so bright I was sure that everyone could see the dried tears under his bloodshot eyes. He cleared his throat to get the attention of the chattering students.

 

"Students and faculty, I'd like to welcome you to the Donna McGrier Memorial Service," he says, voice scratchy and low. "I'd like to start off just to say Donna McGrier was a friend to us all. She changed our lives, brightened them immensely." As he spoke, people around us were sniffing and sobbing and it was just down right sad. Never have I ever seen an entire student body cry over something like this. As Bobby had said before, Donna wasn't that good of a person. She tortured everyone, both verbally and physically. Shouldn't they be inwardly celebrating right now?

 

"I know that this is rough patch in your lives, but you have to know that there is someone you can talk to. Do not hold all of your grief! It's very painful to do to yourselves and I don't think your loved ones would want to see you self-destruct."

 

After the applause that followed his brief speech, Principal called up random students to the stage using the "name out of the hat" method. They were to explain what Donna meant to them and reveal any lingering "uncomfortable feelings" her passing may have caused.

 

Delores Mae was the first name called. It was a shy freshman girl with thick glasses, brunette pigtails, and freckles. She spent about three minutes talking about how Donna cared about everyone she came in contact with and how she was the kindest soul to ever graze the planet.

 

Dorothy and I tried so hard not to laugh at her.

 

The next ten kids basically said the same thing.

 

"She will be missed."

"She was amazing."

"I wish it were me instead."

 

It was sickening. I was sure I heard Bobby gagging on the floor.

 

"Heather Dunn," Principal Kingman called out name number eleven.

 

Sadly, Heather never travels alone. Behind her came Betty, Isabella, Tiffany, and Carolyn screeching uncontrollably. Kingman didn't even bother with telling the other girls to sit back down.

 

"Donna was the best friend anyone could ask for!" Heather cries into the microphone. "I don't even know how I'm going to live without her!"

 

Betty pulls the microphone towards her own mouth. "Yeah! I mean, who's going to pick out outfits with me?! Donna had the best fashion sense." Next was Tiffany, who looked the worse out of them all. "First I lose my boyfriend to _Rachel Tate_ , but now I lose my best friend? Why is my life so unfair, Goddamn it!"

 

That actually broke my heart a bit. Tiffany, from what I noticed during school, was the one stuck under Donna the most. She must be more than completely lost without her.

 

Isabella speaks next and it's quick and to the point. "I'll miss Donna. A lot."

 

When Carolyn speaks, it gets a little weird. There weren’t that many tears on her face. In fact, she looked like she was the most put together person ever. It worried me a bit.

 

"Donna was a seriously good friend. It was nice to have someone who constantly looked up to you and talk about how pretty you were, ask for boy advice, and keep your secrets no matter how terrible they were. I know that in her... Short lived time here that she was able to use what she learned from me to be the best person ever." All eyes were wide and on her, and I think that's what she was going for. None of that sounded like the Donna McGrier I knew. Donna was never a student, she was a teacher. She never followed anyone, she _had_ followers. Nothing Carolyn was saying made any sense. Her friends knew that too because Tiffany suddenly shouted "Carolyn, you bitch!" and shoved her.

 

Betty and Heather pulled back Tiffany while Isabella led Carolyn off the stage. "You disgusting pig! How could you say something like that?" Betty screamed to her retreating figure. "Donna was our friend!" Heather added.

 

Carolyn just flipped her black hair as she walked off.

 

Dorothy leaned into my ear. "That was weird," she said over the yelling.

 

"Definitely," I nodded. "There's definitely something going on between them." Bobby, apparently, heard us from his spot on the ground because he turned to face us with a confused look on his face. "You guys think they know more about Donna's death than they're letting on?"

 

James, after wiping his eyes and adjusting his glasses, spoke up for us. "I believe so. I'm really suspicious of Carolyn."

 

"Colleen Adams."

 

My heart froze in my chest when Kingman suddenly called my name. I looked at my friends, obviously with fear in my eyes. "What do I do?" I ask urgently.

 

Dorothy shrugged. "The hell if I know."

 

James turned back around.

 

Bobby giggles at me. "Good luck, kid!"

 

When I didn't rise up immediately, Kingman said "Don't be afraid, Colleen. Everyone is doing it," and that sounded very creepy.

 

I walked up to the stage, no thanks to my no good friends, and stood in front of the microphone. No words would leave me. There was just too many people in that auditorium.

 

A hand suddenly clapped at my back. Kingman was smiling at me. "It's ok," he says. "Just tell us how you feel."

 

"How I feel...?"

 

I felt like I was going to throw up a lung or something if I didn't get off that stage. And I don't think that's something he'd want to hear.

 

But just as I was going to speak again, I felt an all too familiar heaviness come over me.

 

Oh no, I remember thinking, not now! Why now of all times?!

 

My vision twisted and body was a cinder block.

 

The last thing I heard was a warbled voice call out "COLLEEN!"

 

Damn it all.


	7. May 4th, 1965

**May 4th, 1965**

**Emerson, Wyoming**

 

Passing out in front of the entire school was the worst thing to ever happen to me. People saw firsthand what one of my narcolepsy spells looked like and I honestly did not want to show my face in that school ever again. Sadly, my mom made me go. She even called Dorothy to come and walk me to school.

 

"It wasn't that bad, Coll," she tried to convince me. "No one laughed at you. They were more worried about you than anything else." Yeah, I almost believed her.

 

All day I kept getting strange looks from everyone I saw in the hallways and classes. Dorothy held my hand the entire time, even after I bit her finger.

 

Bobby glared at every guy that laughed and it surprisingly worked.

 

Their help was greatly appreciated, but I still felt so mortified! What was left of my good reputation around here spiraled into the toilet.

 

During lunch, while Bobby and Dorothy were trying to get me to stop sulking, James came up to us with his notebook in hand and an anxious smile on his face.

 

"Guys, you've got to see this!" he says, opening up his notebook, revealing a bunch of illegible scribbles and scattered photographs.

 

"Where have you been?" Bobby asked. "I haven't seen you in any classes today."

 

"Well, that's not like you Mr. Harvard Bound," Dorothy chided.

 

James shushed at them both. "Will you just listen to me? All of my work for the next two weeks is completely done with! I can afford to miss one class!"

 

The two scoffed at him, most likely thinking the same thing I was.

 

_What a nerd._

 

"So, what do you have?" I finally chime in.

 

James' face lit up. "Finally! Someone who wants to witness my genius!"

 

He first shows us a picture of a tall blonde man in an all-black suit talking with Bobby's father. On the other side of them was Detective Winston wearing a furious expression on his face.

 

"What is this?" Bobby deadpans.

 

James frowns. "That, my friend, is Agent Harvey Dean. Rumor has it that he took down the legendary Babyface Nelson years ago."

 

Dorothy felt extremely excited about that fact. She scarily admired Babyface and I don't know why.

                              

"You mean _the_ Lester Joseph Gillis? George Nelson? I have to talk to this guy!" she beams.

 

Bobby rolls his eyes. "Oh sure, and just blatantly admit that you're interfering with an investigation while you’re at it." "That's the thing," James said before Dorothy could complain. "Agent Dean is joining in on the investigation." That was a definite surprise. An FBI agent investigating a small town like Emerson is definitely a cause for concern. 

   

Bobby sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "Oh shit."

 

I frowned at that vulgar outburst. "What's so bad about that?"

 

"If the FBI is officially in on this case, then if we get caught we'll be charged with interfering in a federal investigation!" he explained. "That's fifty times worse!"

 

"That's why you were so happy to tell us?" Dorothy scolds him. "To psych us out?"      

 

James shook his head and hid behind me. "No! I just thought that with the FBI on this, they'll leave a better trail for us."

 

"We've been investigating for all of three days," I pointed out. "These things usually take time."

 

"Too much time!" he countered. "I'm starting to think that we're at a standstill. We've got nothing."

 

"What do you think, that the answers will just fall in our laps?" Dorothy snaps. "Damn it, this is what investigators do! _Investigate_!"

 

Bobby nods. "She's right, Jimmy."

 

"Don't ever call me that," he growls at him.

 

"Jimmy boy," Dorothy joins in the joke.

 

"Stop it!"

 

I stared at the people in front of me.

 

These idiots are going to solve a murder?

 

"Jimmy! Jimmy!" they continue to taunt the already red faced James.

 

"Shut up!"

 

Now, I can see what James was worried about.

 

After lunch Dorothy and I had study hall, so we asked the boys to let us look over the interviews they gave Donna's group and Johnny. In the library, we split up the work, each looking over three people. She chose Betty, Tiffany, and Heather. This leaves me with Isabella, Carolyn, and Johnny. No, I did not choose to look over Johnny's interview voluntarily. Dorothy said, and I quote, "He's the love of your life! No one knows him better than you," and that didn't give me any room for an argument.

 

I looked at Johnny's first, just to get it out of the way. He said he fought with Donna just before she was killed. It makes my heart ache for him. The last thing he ever said to the girl he, at least it seemed like he did, loved was something coarse. That is definitely something I couldn't ever imagine. He was asleep in his bed, he said, around midnight and so on, but I can't help this nagging feeling that there's more to this story than just that.

 

With Isabella's interview, it didn't seem all that suspicious. Though, I did wonder about that mysterious gentlemen that was with them. As I read it over again, I finally noticed a crucial detail that we all missed earlier.

 

"Dora!" I called to my friend, who had fallen asleep on her papers.

 

I sighed, yanking at her red hair. "Dora, get up! You've got to see this!"

 

She grunted and grumbled, but eventually crawled over to where I was and eyed my pile. "What am I looking here?"

 

'You would know if you weren't lazing around!' was what I wanted to say, but decided against since it would be a big waste of time.

 

"Here, Isabella said that she saw Johnny and some other dude with Donna around eleven o'clock, right?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"But, if we look here," I say, showing her Johnny's notes. "Johnny said he was he asleep around that time and that he'd last seen Donna when they fought at six."

 

Her eyes widened and she took the paper from me.

 

"Isabella wouldn't lie," she says after thoroughly scanning them. "There's no reason for her to."

 

"Johnny wouldn't lie either!" I quickly defended him. "His girlfriend is dead!"

 

"He and Bobby had a fight the day he wrote this, remember? He probably said whatever he wanted to hear just to get him to scram."

 

I didn't want to believe it, but it made sense.

 

"Look," Dorothy sighs, wrapping an arm around me. "If we're doing this, then we've got to keep an open mind. No letting Johnny Angel off the hook just because you're sweet on him."

 

I put my head on her shoulder. "I know."

 

"Great! Now let's go find out which one of them is lying!"

 

"What, right now? No, Dora! Classes are going on!"

 

She rolls her eyes. "Don't you know that Isabella has a free period, too?"

 

"No."

 

"C'mon, I'll show you where she hangs out."

 

After gathering our supplies, I allow Dorothy to lead me outside of the school, the football field to be specific. Resting on the bleachers with a burning cigarette in her hand, there was Isabella. At first glance, you wouldn't think that she'd hang out with someone as prissy as Donna, Betty, Heather, Carolyn, or Tiffany. She wore baggy jeans, red plaid flannel over a black tank top, and her black hair in messy bun. I'm almost positive that her friends flipped their wigs over her non-"designer only" appearance. What made her cooler in our eyes was that she probably didn't care.

 

"How did you know?" I whispered as we got closer to her.

 

Dorothy shrugs. "I see her come out here to smoke with Donna sometimes."

 

When Isabella sees us, she isn't fazed. In fact, she scoots over to make room for us.

"I know you jokes didn't come out here for a drag," she says after taking one herself. "What the hell do you want?"

 

"Sorry to bother you, Miss Isabella," I blurted out. "But we have some questions-" "About Donna, right?" a humorless chuckle leaves her. "I already talked to the police and some weird cats. What more could you people want? Can't you see I'm grieving?"

 

"Look, we just need to understand something that only you know," Dorothy adds.

 

"I know Donna was bitch," Isabella continues, not acknowledging what she said. "That's just how she was. But she was my bitch and I loved her."

 

She takes another puff from her cigarette before she deems it useless and stomps it out with her big black boot. Without missing a beat, she lights up a brand new one.

 

"I understand that," I tell her. "Believe me when I tell you that. We just want to know the truth!"

 

Her dark brow arches at that. "What do you mean?"

 

Damn, I could tell by the scolding look from Dorothy that I just said a little too much.   


"You said that you saw Johnny, Donna, and some strange cat at Mel's around eleven that night, right?" Dorothy speaks up.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Johnny said that he asleep in bed around that time so-"

 

"That son of a bitch is lying!" Isabelle exclaims with a growl. "I saw him in Mel's with her! They were with that damn..." she hits herself in the head. "Damn it! I can't remember his name!"

 

"It's alright," I say, taking her free hand in mine. "Can you tell us what he looks like?"

 

"Tall, chubby, dark hair, green eyes, and a tattoo of a fox on his right arm."

 

Dorothy took down the description she gave, nodding when she finished. "Why would Johnny lie?" she asked us. "He and Donna were so in love it was gross! You'd think he'd want her killer found."

 

"Yeah, that's terrible," Dorothy says, shaking her head.

 

"We need to talk to Johnny now. Thanks for everything, Isabella," I motion for Dorothy to follow me.

 

Before we could leave, Isabella says, "I looked up narcolepsy in the library after that stupid assembly."

 

I turned back around to her, completely stunned. "What?"

 

"Narcolepsy. I looked it up. You've had this all your life?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"I'm so sorry."

 

What do I say to that? What does anyone say to that?

"Uh... yeah. Thanks for that."

 

Dorothy eagerly nudged me and laughed.

I rolled my eyes. "Say nothing."

"Alright, Coll."

 

While Dorothy and I had study hall, Johnny had gym. We couldn't just walk in there and all willy nilly. Coach Clifford and his assistant, Ms. Hadley, would stop us right at the door. When I explained this much to Dorothy, she just scoffed.

 

"Hell, we'll just have to catch Johnny in the boys' room-"

 

I cut her off right then and there. "I'd rather get caught in the gym than in the boys' locker room like some creep!"

Dorothy smirks at me. "Good, let's go."

 

As predicted, Coach Clifford threw a hissy fit.

 

"What are you doing in here, Adams? Andrews? I don't see you clowns until tomorrow!" he growled.

 

"Well, Cranky Clifford,” Dorothy snarls back at him. “We just wanted to tell Johnny that he’s needed in the principal’s office!”

 

Clifford rolled his eyes and turned to me. "Is that true, Adams?" he says, staring straight into my eyes.

 

Damn it! I crack easily when I'm under pressure and he's taking advantage of that!

Hopefully, with the serverity of the situation, I'll hold my own this time.   


"Yes, sir!" I answer without much hesitation. My voice didn't stutter or squeak, so I think it sounded believable.

 

Dorothy smirks with her arms crossed. "See? Now can you tell Johnny Angel to come with us?"

 

Clifford grumbles something under his breath, but he called out to Johnny anyway. "Edwards! The principal needs to see you, now!"

 

Johnny, drenched in the sweat that made his white gym shirt stick to his well- formed body, dropped the basketball in his hand and looked over at us in confusion. "What for?" he yells back.

 

"Just come with us, man!" Dorothy replies impatiently. "We'll explain on the way!"

 

Johnny follows Dorothy and I out of the gym with a confused expression on his face. Honestly, it was so adorable on him.

 

We stop just a few feet away and turn to face him.

 

"What's going on?" he asks us.

 

The words I was going to say jumped up and got stuck in my throat. "Uh, I..." I turn to Dorothy for help.

 

She rolled her eyes. "When was the last time you saw Donna?"

 

Johnny was visibly startled by her bluntness. He seemed to be just as articulate as I was. "Uh...what?"

 

"You told Bobby and James that you fought with her and then went to sleep the night she was killed," she fixes a glare onto him. "But Isabella said that she saw you at Mel's with Donna and some other dude."

 

"Well then," he sighed. "Isabella was lying."

 

"It wasn't just Isabella," she sassed back at him. "Heather also said that you and Donna were due for some alone time. Do you think that both of them were lying?"

 

Johnny stood speechless, eyes completely wide. It hurt me to realize that the guys were right: He really was more involved in this than we originally thought.

"Just tell us what happened that night, Johnny," I finally spoke up.

"Why are you snooping around this, Colleen?" his voice went dark all of a sudden. "Huh? Why do you care?"

"Calm down! We just want the truth!"

That was when my heart stopped.

 

Johnny's eyes suddenly went soft and genuinely concerned after I'd said that. "You need to quit while you're ahead," he turns to look at Dorothy. "Both of you do."

 

"What?" my friend squeaks. "Why?!"

"You don't know what you're getting yourselves into!"

"Are you saying you know who killed Donna?" I accused.

Johnny shook his head. "No, but I have someone in mind. And he's not the kind of guy who'll go down without a fight."

 

"Is he the guy Isabella saw you with that night?" Dorothy presses.

His fingers ran roughly through his hair. "Promise me that what I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this circle."

Dorothy and I gave each other a knowing look. We both knew we'd have to let Bobby and James in on this no matter what, but Johnny didn't have to know that.

 

"We won't say a word," we tell him.

 

He takes in a deep breath, and spills his guts.

"Donna and I work for a certain guy, right?" he starts and continues when we nod. "A guy who gets real pissed when things don't go his way. A few months ago, we were given certain jobs to do, but Donna screwed up. Badly. No one else knew but this one guy, Ivan McGee. Ivan started blackmailing us, saying he'll go to the boss and tell him about her little screw up-"

 

"What was the screw up?" I interrupted.

"She stole a little too much from him and blamed it on someone else. That little lie cost that someone their life." Both Dorothy and I gasp.

 

"Anyway, after being blackmailed to do whatever the cat wanted for all that time, we finally gave him the slip. Donna tells the boss that it was Ivan who stole instead of the other guy. I planted the fake evidence against him. That night, Donna and I were supposed to go Tenton and bring Ivan to the boss and have him kill-" "You lied again?!" Dorothy screeched. "Why are all these people dying just so Donna can save her own ass, goddamn it?"

Johnny groaned. "Ivan didn't die, but the boss did rough him up something fierce. He sent me on another job and told Donna to stay. That happened around five minutes til midnight and it was the last time I saw her."

 

Now, it was our turn to be rendered speechless.

There was so much going on here, way more than we had been expecting. Just what was Donna and Johnny into? Who was their boss? And why was the name Ivan McGee so familiar to me?

"Who's the boss?" Dorothy asked. "And why did he ask Donna to stay behind?"

"I can't tell you that," Johnny says. "It's too dangerous for you know."

 

"If it's all so dangerous, why don't you go to the police?" I offered.

 

Johnny shakes his head. "That won't do any good. I'm already in way too deep. I don't you two to dig any deeper!"

"But what about Donna?"

"What about her, Colleen? She's dead!"

 

"Don't you wanna know what happened to her?" Dorothy chimes in.

"Not at the risk of something happening to me. I loved Donna and I fucking hate every second that she's not here, but I got to keep myself safe."

 

He turns and walks away without saying anything else.


End file.
